Friday, April 13, 2012

Part Eleven of Lilith's Escape

After he entered his apartment, he removed his jacket and took out the photo that Lilith had given to him earlier in the day. He took the photo to his desk, opened the bottom drawer and took out the almost empty bottle of rum. Flopping into the chair, too tired to go into the kitchen for a glass, he drank the rum straight from the bottle while he stared at the grainy photo.

“What am I getting myself into?” he asked his calico cat who had jumped onto his lap. Her meows and her pawing at his arm reminded him she was past her feeding. “We’re both hungry, come on."

Heading into the kitchen he grabbed a can from the pantry and dumped it into her dish. After adding fresh water to her bowl, he checked the fridge for food. It was the classic bachelor fridge, stocked only with a few cold beers, two-day-old fish and chips from the deli down the street and wilted lettuce. “I’ll need to head to the market or you’ll be sharing your meals with me,” he teased Lizzie who replied with a loud meow.

He was hungry, starving actually and he also needed to be around people right now. He couldn’t get the taste of her from his mind. He wanted to see her again, hold her…but he knew it would be his undoing. “I think I’m over my head with this case,” he informed the cat which was now cleaning its face.

Grabbing his jacket, he left the apartment and headed to the tavern down the street. He needed to eat and clear his head. The sun had set and a chill replaced the warmth of the day with the night matching his dark mood. He pulled up his jacket collar and began walking against the wind, which started to clear the leaves from the sidewalk.

But the wind also brought along a familiar scent. Turning around he searched for her, but the street was deserted except for a few elderly men talking across the street. Was it his imagination? Was she following him? He stood outside the tavern and searched the darkness, but he saw nothing to indicate she was there.

“Lilith?” he called out.

Disappointed he pulled open the tavern door, allowing the happy sounds of patrons enjoying food, drinks and maybe a game of darts to embrace him.

She stood in the shadows, watching. When she saw he had not been followed and that he was safe, she disappeared.